Monitor-mounting system for a land vehicle headrest

ABSTRACT

A monitor-mounting system for a headrest of a land vehicle includes a bushing subsystem constructed to be coupled to the headrest; and a monitor-mounting plate constructed to be coupled to the bushing subsystem. The monitor-mounting region extends outwardly of the headrest and is constructed for fixedly receiving a monitor. The headrest is constructed with dual posts and dual post guides, and the bushing system is constructed with dual bushings, each being constructed to couple to a corresponding one of the dual post guides, or to a corresponding one of the posts.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/257,780, filed Nov. 3, 2009 and entitled “Monitor Mount foran Automobile Headrest” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/257,777, filed Nov. 3, 2009 and entitled “Monitor Mount for anAutomobile Headrest”, which are both incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to monitor mounting systems for land vehicleheadrests and, more particularly, to monitor mounting systemsconstructed to be coupled to OEM headrest post guides and headrestposts.

BACKGROUND

Land vehicle entertainment systems have been popular for many years and,in recent years there has been a growing demand for monitor systems thatcan be mounted inside the back of a vehicle headrest. Conventionalsystems involve modifying the headrest so that a monitor, typically onewith a DVD player built into the housing of the monitor, can be fittedinto a recess formed in the back of the headrest. These systems requiresubstantial changes to the headrest so that the monitor can be fittedinto it, or they require complete substitution of the original headrestwith one that contains a monitor in a back region of the substituteheadrest. In conventional systems, the monitor is constructed to pivotso that it reveals a slot for insertion of a DVD. Examples of suchconventional systems can be seen on the Internet atwww.qualitymobilevideo.com/headrest-monitors.aspx.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention after ithas been coupled to the post guides of a vehicle headrest.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, that also showshow the invention looks with the vehicle posts and post guides inposition in a vehicle seat and vehicle headrest.

FIG. 3 is a back view of a vehicle seat and headrest after theembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 has been coupled to theheadrest post guides.

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the bushing system of the embodiment in FIG.1, with a locking member shown in position to be slid into a channel ofthe bushing system.

FIGS. 7-10 are isometric views of the back of a vehicle seat after theembodiment in FIG. 1 has been coupled to the headrest post guides, andafter a monitor has been coupled to the monitor-mounting region of themonitor-mounting plate.

FIG. 11 is an exploded, isometric view of a monitor after it has beencoupled to the monitor-mounting region of the monitor-mounting plate(headrest posts not depicted), that illustrates a back cover system forthe monitor.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are bottom views of the monitor and monitor-mountingsystem shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 15 is top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, and anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention thatis constructed to be coupled to a headrest post (not depicted).

FIG. 17 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the bushing system component of theembodiment shown in FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As will be described below with reference to the drawings, the inventionincludes a monitor-mounting system that can be used to attach a monitorto a land vehicle headrest without having to change the component ofthat headrest that is designed to provide a body for resting thepassenger's or driver's head against. As used herein, a vehicle headrestincludes a body at a top region of the headrest, with dual posts thatextend downwardly from the body through post guides that are positionedin a vehicle seat. These components of a headrest are not part of theinvention, but are shown, for example, in FIGS. 2-3 and 7-8.

Preliminary to discussing further details of the invention, it should beunderstood that the monitor-mounting system can be used with anysuitable monitor, such as a suitable LCD monitor, with integrated DVDplayer. Such LCD monitors, with suitable wiring for connecting to avehicle power system can be obtained from Rosen Entertainment Systems ofCorona, Calif. A version of the invention may be obtained from RosenEntertainment Systems and it is marketed under the trademark AV7700.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of the invention is shown afterthe bushing subsystem has been coupled around the outside of the postguides of a conventional vehicle headrest. The vehicle headrest isconstructed with dual posts and dual post guides like the single postand guide shown in FIG. 1. The bushing system is constructed with dualbushings, or bushing halves, like those shown and described inconnection with FIG. 5 below, with each being constructed to couple to acorresponding one of the dual post guides.

FIGS. 4-6 show details of the monitor-mounting system, which includes abushing subsystem (shown best in FIG. 5 as the two bushing halves thatare shown in an exploded view away from a fragmentary section of aconventional headrest post that is positioned through a conventionalpost guide. The bushing subsystem is constructed to be coupled to theheadrest. In this embodiment, that coupling occurs by bringing the twobushing halves together around each post guide, one of which is depictedin FIG. 5, and under the cap of the post guide which is shown as thetopmost region of that post guide.

Still referring to FIG. 5, a monitor-mounting plate (shown exploded fromthe conventional headrest post and post guide) is constructed to becoupled to the bushing subsystem, and it includes dual forks and amonitor-mounting region (the region shown at the far rights thatincludes a flat, horizontal section and an upright section with holesformed therein for receiving suitable fasteners that attach a monitor(undepicted) to that upright region. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-5, themonitor-mounting plate extends outwardly of the headrest and isconstructed for fixedly receiving a monitor via the monitor-mountingregion.

A locking piece (also referred to as a locking metal piece) is alsoshown in FIGS. 4-6, and it is used to lock the monitor-mounting plate inposition after the forks have been moved into the channels formed in thebushing halves. By placing the monitor-mounting plate in those channels,the bushing halves are held together. By placing the shown locking metalpiece through the channel of the bushing halves shown best in FIG. 6,the monitor-mounting plate is secured and capable of holding a monitorin a desired position for viewing by vehicle back seat passengers(undepicted).

Concerning materials for the inventions, any suitable material may beused, including metal and composite materials.

FIGS. 7-10 show illustrations of the monitor-mounting system of theinvention after being coupled to a conventional vehicle headrest andafter the monitor-mounting region of the monitor-mounting plate has beenfastened to a monitor.

FIGS. 11-13 show additional illustrations of a monitor after it has beenattached to the invention, but without showing the conventional headrestposts and post guides.

FIGS. 14-15 show two more embodiments of the invention, with FIG. 14showing another exploded view of one of them. That view shows dualbushing halves with interior surfaces that have been formed to match theouter surface of a conventional headrest post guide. Those bushinghalves have bodies that are formed with an oval shape. Referring to FIG.15, the oval-shaped embodiment is shown with another embodiment that issquare shaped. In each of the embodiments shown in FIG. 15, the lockingmetal piece is shown partially extending into the corresponding channelsof the bushing halves to illustrate that they slide into place.

FIGS. 16-19 show an embodiment of the invention that is also designedfor use with the conventional headrest described above, only that thisembodiment includes a bushing subsystem that is constructed with dualbushings, or bushing halves, each being constructed to couple to acorresponding one of the dual posts. As shown in FIG. 18, thisembodiment also includes a bushing subsystem, shown to the right of amonitor-mounting plate. That plate includes a U-shaped end that can bemoved into the channels of the bushing halves. A locking piece can beslid into a corresponding channel after the monitor-mounting plate isslid into position through the channels of the bushing halves. Theembodiment shown in FIGS. 16-19 can be constructed with bushing halvesthat have any desired size, such as 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 12.7 mm, and 14mm. It is intended that the monitor-mounting plate remain the same sizefor all versions of this embodiment. This embodiment attaches to theconventional headrest post, as opposed to the post guide, as the otherembodiments discussed above do.

Although the present invention has been shown and described withreference to the foregoing operational principles and preferredembodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious changes in form and detail may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is intendedto embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

1. A monitor-mounting system for a headrest of a land vehicle,comprising: a bushing subsystem constructed to be coupled to theheadrest; and a monitor-mounting plate constructed to be coupled to thebushing subsystem, and including monitor-mounting region that extendsoutwardly of the headrest and is constructed for fixedly receiving amonitor.
 2. The monitor-mounting system of claim 1, wherein the headrestis constructed with dual posts and dual post guides, and wherein thebushing system is constructed with dual bushings, each being constructedto couple to a corresponding one of the dual post guides.
 3. Themonitor-mounting system of claim 1, wherein the headrest is constructedwith dual posts and dual post guides, and wherein the bushing system isconstructed with dual bushings, each being constructed to couple to acorresponding one of the dual posts.